Power units for wagon drills



March 31, 1959 11 KREISS 2,379,857

POWER UNITS FOR WAGON DRILLS Filed Nov. 26, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 uvmvron. TH E0 R KREISS 7 T. R. KREISS POWER UNITS FOR WAGON DRILLS Margh 31, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet? Filegl Nov; 26, r 1956 INVENTOR. Y THEO R. KREISS ATTORNEYS Unitad ta at nt 2,879,857 POWER UNITS FOR WAGON DRI LLS Theo R. Kreiss, Portland, Oreg. Application November 26, 1956, Serial No. 624,414

4 Claims. 01. 180--6.2)

The present invention relates to power units for wagon drills, and more particularly to wagon drills used in the drilling of rock and the like. t 1 I The primary object of the invention is to provide a power unit that can be installed on wagon drills to move the drill about, utilizing pneumatic or other motive power. V

Another object of the invention is to provide'a power unit to drive both or either of the ground wheels in either direction. Heretofore, it required several men to move the wagon drill into its various operating positions, but

with this new and improved power unit, one man can move the drill by power from place to place in the drilling operation. Due tothe simplicity of construction, this new and improved power unit for wagon drills can be economicallyapplied to already existing machines at a minimum ofcost. '7 l v H A further object of the invention is to provide a power unit that can be assembled from standard transmission units driven by an air motor, an electric motor, "or other form of motor. 7 1

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the invention with the drill bar assembly illustrated in broken lines.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the invention shown partly broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view, taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference character 10 indicates a U-shaped frame upon which a conventional power drill assembly D is mounted. The U-shaped frame 10 has supporting wheels 11 journalled thereto, on stub axles 12 of a conventional design. A single supporting wheel 13 is journalled on a vertical axis to the forward end 14 of the U-shaped frame 10, as best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The drill supporting and operating assembly is indicated in broken lines by the letter D, and includes a base 15 and a boom 16 for supporting a drill bar 17. The drill bar 17 supports the drill rod hammerls in the drill rod 19 and the hammer 18 is moved along the bar 17 by an air power unit 20. All of the above is well known structure in wagon drills.

This invention relates to a power unit P having a transverse beam 21, which is secured to the U-shaped frame 10 by U-bolts 22. Extending at right angles and forming part of the beam 21 is a second beam or frame 23, which is secured to the forward end 24 of the U-shaped frame 10 by a U-bolt 25. The beam or frame 23 is slotted at 26 so that the same can be adjusted in either direction with respect to the frame 10.

w A shaft 27 is journalled to the beam 21 by bearings 28 and 29, and to the beam or frame 23 by suitable bearings (not shown). An air operated power motor 30 is mounted to the beam 23 through its base 31, which is clamped to the underside of the beam 23 by clamps 32 and bolts 33, referring to Figure 4. The air motor 30 is 'adap'ted to operate a gear reduction unit 34, .which in turn drives a power take-off shaft 35. A sprocket 36 is keyed to the power takeoff shaft 35 and drives a chain 37. -The chain 37 is trained about a sprocket 38, which is keyed to the driven shaft 27, and the opposite end of the chain 37 is trained about the idler tightening roller 39.

The roller 39 is moved longitudinally of the chain 37 by the threaded bolt 40, which forms part of the .U- shaped bearin'g 41.- The bolt 40 is moved to tighten the chain 37 by the action of the nut 42 in the usual manner. Thebolt 40 passes through the transverse member 43 of the beam assembly 23. The chain 37 passes over the idler s 44in order to train the same about the driving sprocket 36 within the base or housing 31 of the driving unit 30. The driving unit 30 is preferably a duplicate ofthe air power unit 20 used in connection withthe movement of the hammers 18 on the bar 17. These air power units are Well adapted for use in this application, although I would not wish to limit myself to any particular design of motor for operating the shaft 27.

Sprocket wheels 45 are rotatably mounted on the outer ends of the shaft 27, and are connected to the shaft 27 by a jaw type clutch 46, which is operated by an operating lever 47.

A sliding clutch member 48 is slidably mounted to the splined portion 49 of the ends of the shaft 27, and rotates with the shaft 27. When the jaws 50 of the gear 45 are brought into engagement with the jaws 51 of the member 48, the sprocket wheel 45 will be rotated by the shaft 27.

Chain sprockets 52 are bolted to either the outside or the inside of the wheels 11, referring particularly to Figures 6 and 7. Spacer legs 53 form part of the chain sprocket 52 and have their opposite ends bifurcated as at 54 to straddle the spokes 55 of the wheel 11 just inside the inner periphery 56 of the rim 57. This connection maintains the chain sprocket 52 in alignment.

Bolts 58, having hooks 59 thereon, engage the spokes 55 and have their opposite ends passing through the openings 60 within the chain sprocket 52 and tightened thereto by the nuts 61. This assembly secures the chain sprocket 52 tightly to the wheels 11. The chain sprocket 52 is driven from the sprockets 45 by chains 62.

Referring particularly to Figure 4, an air control valve unit 63 is associated with the air motor 30 and has control levers 64. I have not illustrated the hose line connected thereto for furnishing the air, but this control unit is located at a convenient location for the operator of the machine to reach, as best illustrated in Figure 2. The levers 64 can be controlled by linkage (not shown) from any other point of the machine, as for instance a control link assembly may extend to a point adjacent the supporting wheel 13, wherein the operator wishes to stand in the controlling of the direction of the movement of the machine.

The operation of this machine will now be described. If it is desired to move the machine either forward or backward, the levers 47 of the clutch 46 are operated so as to engage the jaws 50 and 51 together, causing the shaft 27 to rotate the sprocket wheels 45, chains 62 and the wheels 11 through the chain sprocket 52. When both clutches 46 are engaged the machine will move forward or backward depending upon the direction that the power unit 30 is operated.

If it is desired to drive one of the wheels 11, just one of the clutches 46 will be engaged. When the clutches 46 are both disengaged the machine can be towed from place to place by a tractor vehicle. It is only intended that this driving unit 30 be used for moving the machine about in its immediate working area, and not any great distance. As stated in the objects of this invention, it requires considerable manpower to move a Wagon drill D while in its working area, but with this power unit 30 one man can operate the same.

Another use would be for loading or unloading the machine onto or off of truck beds for transportation.

The chains 62 can be tightened by loosening the U-bolts 22 and 25, permitting the beams 21 and 23 to be moved longitudinally of the frame 10. The driving chain 37 can be tightened by the nut 42 being threaded along the bolt 40, which will draw the U-shaped bearing 41 and the idler 39 towards the supporting member 43, tightening the chain 37.

Summing up this invention, the main object is to apply a power unit to a wagon drill for moving the drill either forward or backward, or in a circle by its own power means, as for instance by the air that is always available, the moving of the machine being accomplished with a minimum of manpower.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it .should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A power unit for wagon drills of the type having a horizontal generally U-shaped frame supported by a pair of rear wheels and a forward wheel; comprising a transverse beam supported on said U-shaped frame, means detachably securing said beam at its opposite end portions to said frame, a pair of closely spaced longitudinal members secured to said beam at one end and extending perpendicularly forwardly therefrom, means detachably securing the opposite ends of said longitudinal members to said frame, journal bearings at opposite ends of said beam, a shaft extending through said longitudinal members and having its opposite ends journalled in said bearings, sprockets on opposite ends of said shaft, a sprocket on said shaft between said longitudinal members, means on said longitudinal members for driving said sprocket on said shaft between said longitudinal members, sprockets detachably secured to said pair of wheels, and chains operatively connecting the sprockets on opposite ends of said shaft to the sprocket on the respective wheel on said frame.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein a driving clutch is interposed between said shaft and each sprocket at each end thereof.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means driving said sprocket between said longitudinal members comprises a chain trained thereover, and an air motor operatively associated with said chain.

4. A'device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said air motor is provided with controls for operation in two directions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

